Ancient Kauri Wood

New Zealand Swamp Kauri with Greenstone/Paua shell inlay

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The Kauri Tree is the largest of New Zealand's finest trees and is still
found in many of the natural forests in Northland. Around 50,000 years ago,
due to either volcanic, tidal or ice-age phenomena, vast areas of Kauri
forests toppled and became buried in swamplands. The trees were discovered
during reclamation of these swamps and has been carbon dated at over 45,000
years old. The wood remains in a usable form and is now turned and carved
by local craftsmen.

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The Kauri, with its majestic non-tapering trunks, is renowned world-wide.
The trees can live for 1200 years. In Northland, the largest living Kauri
tree, named Tane Mahuta, Lord of the Waipoua Forest, is 50 metres high and
has a girth of 17 metres.